1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a composition determination device which is a device configured to make determination regarding a composition which image contents of image data have, and to a method thereof, and to a program which the device executes.
2. Description of the Related Art
One example of an element regarding techniques for shooting a photograph which has a good impression on viewers is composition settings. The term “composition” as used here is also called “framing”, and refers to the state of placement of a subject or subjects within an image frame making up a photograph, for example.
While there are several basic techniques generally available for good composition, shooting a photograph with a good composition is no easy feat for a general camera user unless the user has sufficient knowledge and skills regarding photography. Accordingly, there is demand for a technology which will enable users to shoot photographs with good composition in an easy and simple manner.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 59-208983 discloses a technology regarding an automatic tracking device, wherein the difference between images separated by a predetermined time interval is determined, the center of gravity of the difference between the images is calculated, the amount and direction of motion of the center of gravity is used to detect the amount and direction of motion of a subject image as to the imaging screen, and the imaging apparatus is controlled, thereby setting the subject image within a reference region of the imaging screen.
Also, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-268425 discloses a technology regarding an automatic tracking device, wherein, at the time of automatic tracking of a person, tracking is performed such that the face of the person is at the center of the image and also the area of the face is the upper 20% of the entire area of the subject image on the screen, thereby shooting the face of the person in a sure manner while tracking.
From the perspective of deciding composition, these technical configurations enable a subject, which is a person, to be automatically searched, and situated in an imaging screen with a certain set composition.
Also, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2007-156693 discloses a configuration regarding face recognition performed using images shot by a surveillance camera. This configuration involves a technology for effectively masking face images included in (i.e., printed on) posters, signboards, etc. An application thereof would to be to operate the configuration in recreation facility for example, at a time of day when neither customers nor workers would be present, i.e., after closing hours. A masking pattern is generated for masking a part of an image obtained by imaging, the masking pattern is repeatedly changed by a face extracting unit until face images not of an arriving person become unobtainable from the image, the masking pattern whereby until face images not of an arriving person become unobtainable due to the image being masked is stored, images are masked with this stored masking pattern, and face image detection is performed.